Jamming device for cord or tape fastener such as shoelaces

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a jamming device (1) for a cord or tape fastener (30), such as e.g. shoelaces (31), for shoes, jackets, trousers and other articles of clothing, comprising a ring lug (3) for looping the fastening means (30) and a rivet strap (2) which forms a hinge bearing (14) for the ring lug (3) and which is joined to the article of clothing by means of at least one fixing element, such as for example a rivet, stitching or gluing, the rivet strap (2) having a jamming cleat (43) joined to the rivet strap and provided with an end face (35) which is surrounded by the ring lug (30) when the latter is in a position more or less parallel with a contact surface (11) in a jamming zone (29) which is made up of jamming surfaces (36) formed by the end face (35) and an inner surface of the ring lug (3) facing the end face (35), the jamming surfaces (36) being separated from each other by a gap (38) in the jamming zone (29).

The invention relates to a jamming device as described in theintroductory part of claim 1.

For lacing shoes, jackets or trousers, there exist variously shapedhooks, rings, eyes etc. for the fastening means such as shoelaces forexample. For footwear with extended uppers, such as work, walking andsport shoes for example, there are exacting requirements regarding thesecurity of the lacing, and also the comfort of the wearer, whichgreatly depends on the proper functioning of the lacing elements. Onealtogether essential requirement for the comfort of this kind offootwear is that it should be possible for the wearer to adopt differenttensions in different regions of the lacing.

The object of the invention is to form a jamming device for a cord ortape fastener so that when a shoelace, for example, is being pulledtight it runs through the device freely, but can be securely jammed withthe desired tension.

The object of the invention is achieved by the features set out inclaim 1. Surprisingly these have the advantage that the design accordingto the invention of the ring lug and jamming cleat allows the fasteningmeans, such as a shoelace for example, to pass freely through as theshoe is being laced up (and also as it is being unlaced), but theshoelace can be secured by hinging the ring lug down into a jammingposition. Yet it also allows a different tension, and hence differentclasping forces, to be applied in adjacent regions of the lacing, sothat lower tension is applied for example to parts which are moresensitive to pressure, such as the instep, than, say, the region betweenshin and instep.

A design according to claim 2 is also advantageous: this provideseffective jamming of the fastening means.

An embodiment according to claim 3 is also advantageous: this jams thefastening means over the entire region of the jamming cleat which issurrounded by the ring lug.

One possible advantageous development is described in claim 4: here thejamming device, in particular the cleat, can be made in one productionoperation, resulting in a reduction in production costs.

Also advantageous is a design as described in claim 5, as this allowsthe fixing tab to be made extremely thin and flexible, with thickeningonly in the jamming region and/or the region of the ring lug mounting,resulting in a reduction in both material and production costs. Moreoverthe resistance to bending and the strength of the fixing device can bevaried to suit the particular application.

Also advantageous is an embodiment according to claim 6, as it provideseffective jamming in the region of the wraparound of the fastening meansand increases the area of contact between fastening means, ring lug andjamming cleat, resulting in improved positive locking and frictionalconnection of the fastening means and so-called overcentre locking toprevent accidental loosening.

A possible advantageous development is described in claim 7: this allowsthe ring lug to be swung above the jamming cleat, which is particularlyadvantageous when the fastening means is initially threaded through thering lug.

Also advantageous is a design according to claim 8: this allows afurther saving of material without adversely affecting the strength ofthe hinge bearing.

An embodiment according to claim 9 is also favourable: this provideseffective jamming of the fastening means in the jamming device.

A development according to claim 10 is also possible: this gives thejamming device elasticity and an attractive appearance in a simple wayand at low material and production cost, without sacrificing strength,especially in the hinge bearing.

A construction according to claim 11 has the advantage that the mountingfor the ring lug can be produced in a simple manner.

An alternative embodiment according to claim 12 is advantageous: thisenables the jamming cleat with its fixing tab and the rivet strap to befabricated in separate equipment, and only joined together at the momentof assembly of the jamming device consisting of these parts on anarticle of clothing. In addition this "sandwich construction" of thejamming device has a positive effect on the strength of the device.

A possible advantageous design is described in claim 13. Here the rivetstrap and fixing tab can be mounted on the article of clothing with asingle fixing element.

Also advantageous is a design according to claim 14, which furtherincreases the strength of the device.

An alternative embodiment according to claim 15 is also favourable: itallows the jamming device to be made in one piece, which is particularlyadvantageous where cold-forming production techniques are used.

Another possibility is the development according to claim 16: thisenables the rivet strap to be latched in the vertical direction, therebypreventing the rivet strap from being lifted off the fixing tab, andalso preventing the jamming device from opening accidentally.

A construction according to claim 17 has the advantage that it reducesthe number of production steps, thus reducing production costs, and ahinge bearing is obtained in a simple manner by assembling the separateparts consisting of ring lug, jamming cleat and rivet strap.

Claim 18 describes a favourable embodiment in which the ring lug isprevented from pivoting accidentally; this is absolutely essential ifthe assembly of the jamming device is automated. Furthermore overcentrelocking of the ring lug is provided.

Also advantageous is a design according to claim 19, in which the ringlug can be swung out of the jamming zone only through elasticdeformation, to allow insertion of the fastening means into the jammingzone, e.g. when lacing up. Accidental pivoting of the ring lug isprevented.

Finally, a development according to claim 20 is possible: in this, therivet strap is enveloped in the jamming cleat and/or fixing tab, thusforming a sandwich component possessing good strength properties.

In order that the invention maybe better understood, it will bedescribed in detail with reference to the embodiments shown by way ofexample in the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a jamming device according to the invention in plan view;

FIG. 2 shows the jamming device sectioned on the lines II--II in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a further embodiment of the jamming device according to theinvention, in plan view;

FIG. 4 shows the jamming device sectioned on the lines IV--IV in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of the jamming device according to theinvention, in plan view;

FIG. 6 shows the jamming device sectioned an the lines VI--VI in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 shows a further embodiment of the jamming device according to theinvention, viewed in section and in elevation;

FIG. 8 shows another embodiment of the jamming device according to theinvention, viewed in section and in elevation;

FIG. 9 shows a further embodiment of the jamming device according to theinvention, viewed in section and in elevation.

FIGS. 1 and 2 (which will be described together) show a jamming device 1which is made up of a rivet strap 2 and a ring lug 3. The rivet strap 2is formed symmetrically about a longitudinal centre line 4, with alength 5 extending parallel therewith, and a width 6 measured at rightangles thereto. A portion 7, having, for example, two holes 8 locatedsymmetrically about the longitudinal centre line 4, is separated by aregion 10 of reduced thickness from a jamming cleat 9 a portion of whichis surrounded by the ring lug 3. The jamming cleat 9 is joined to therivet strap 2.

The region 10 of reduced thickness has a depth 12 measured at rightangles to a contact surface 11 which lies on the surface of an articleof clothing such as for example a shoe, a jacket, or trousers, and awidth 13 measured at right angles to the depth and parallel with thelongitudinal centre line 4.

The function of the region 10 of reduced thickness, which extends overthe whole width 6, is to make the portion which forms the jamming cleat9 and a hinge bearing 14 movable in relation to the portion 7 whichforms a fixing tab 15. A thickness 17 separates an upper surface 16 ofthe fixing tab 15 from the contact surface 11 on the opposite side. Thefixing tab 15 and the jamming cleat 9 with the hinge bearing 14 arejoined together, for example as one piece by a connecting web 18.However, it is also possible to form the rivet strap 2 without theregion 10 of reduced thickness separating the jamming cleat 9 from thefixing tab 15, by using suitably pliable materials such as suitableplastic materials for example. As is shown in broken lines, it is alsopossible for the distance 19 separating the upper surface 16 from thecontact surface 11 to be smaller than the thickness 17. The distance 19can be minimized so that the fixing tab 15 can also be sewn or glued tothe article of clothing, in which case the hole 8 is unnecessary. Again,the distance 19 can be made equal to a thickness 20 of the connectingweb 18 which is the thickness 17 minus the depth 12. In this case, anupper surface 21 of the jamming cleat 9, opposite to, and extendingparallel with, the contact surface 11, lies at a distance equal to thedepth 12 from the upper surface 16 opposite to the contact surface 11.

The hinge bearing 14 separated from the fixing tab 15 by the region 10of reduced thickness has one or more bearing holes 22 extending more orless parallel with the contact surface 11 and with the width 6. Thesemay extend as round bores across the whole width 6. Alternatively,however, two bearing holes 22 formed as blind pocket holes may beprovided. From lateral faces 23, 24 of the rivet strap 2 separated bythe width 6 and extending parallel with the longitudinal centre line 4,hinge arms 25 of the ring lug 3 are aligned with each other in thebearing hole 22 and extend towards the longitudinal centre line 4. Thesearms are arranged concentrically about a pivot axis 26 which extendsparallel with the contact surface 11 and with the width 6, at the centreof the bearing hole 22. The distance between the pivot axis 26 and thecontact surface 11 (in the direction towards the upper side 21) may besuch that the hinge arms 25 are located within the region bounded by thedepth 12.

The ring lug 3 is formed for example in the shape of a C with straightend regions 27 projecting into the bearing hole 22 and forming the hingearms 25. A hoop 28 linking the hinge arms 25 to each other extends forexample approximately in a semicircle around a jamming zone 29 of thejamming cleat 9 whose shape is for example likewise approximatelysemicircular. Alternatively, the hoop 28 may be formed with a legextending more or less parallel with the width 6 and linked to the hingearms 25 parallel with the said leg by legs extending parallel with thelateral faces 23 and 24.

Alternatively, the hoop 28 may be formed without a leg parallel with thewidth 6, but with two legs which are arranged at an angle to one anotherand which are joined to each other and to the hinge arms 25. The ringlug 3 may be bent from wire with for example a round, square ortriangular cross-section. In the assembled condition the ring lug 3 isin a position more or less parallel with the contact surface 11, formingwith the jamming zone 29 of the jamming cleat 9 the locking position fora fastening means 30, e.g. for a shoelace 31. However, as a result ofslight play of the hinge arms 25 in the bearing hole 22 and/or elasticdeformation of the hoop 28 and of the hinge arms 25, it can be splayedso that it can be pivoted through a pivot angle 32, of less than 180°,into the release position (as shown in broken lines), releasing thefastening means 30. In order for this to happen, it is necessary interalia that the width 6, which for example also bounds the jamming cleat9, be slightly smaller than an internal width 33 of the ring lug 3extending parallel with the bearing hole 22 and defining an innersurface 34 of the ring lug 3 facing the rivet strap 2. An end face 35extending for example at right angles to the contact surface 11 facestowards the inner surface 34 and bounds the end region of the jammingcleat 9 with its jamming zone 29. The end face 35 of the jamming cleat9, together with the inner surface 34 of the ring lug 3, forms, when thering lug is positioned more or less parallel with the contact surface11, jamming surfaces 36 between which the fastening means 30 is nippedin the jamming zone 29. The end face 35 may be flat, or may have agroove-like indentation 37 which is concavely formed back towards thehinge arms 25. The cross-section of this indentation 37, which forms thejamming surface 36, may be 25 curved or angular. A point on the surfaceof the groove-like indentation 37 which lies closest to the hinge arms25 is separated from the inner surface 34 of the hoop 28 by a gap 38.This establishes the distance between the jamming surfaces 36, and, atleast in the jamming zone 29, is smaller than a thickness 39 of thefastening means 30 in the undeformed condition. Alternatively, it may bemade more or less constant over the entire extent of the end face 35 orinner surface 34. If the hoop 28 is made in the form of a circular arc,both the groove-like indentation 37 and the end face 35 extend more orless concentrically with the inner surface 34.

Furthermore the size of the gap is such that, when the ring lug 3, andin particular the hoop 28, is in the undeformed condition, that is tostay when the hoop 28 is not being subjected to any deformation forceand no fastening means 30 is inserted, the inner surface 34 is incontact with the end face 35, thus preventing accidental pivoting of thering lug 3. This is particularly necessary if the mounting of theclamping device 1 on an article of clothing is automated, asself-actuated pivoting of the ring lug 3 into an undefined intermediateposition greatly increases the risk of malfunction of the mountingmachine.

However, when a fastening means 30 is to be inserted, the elasticity ofthe ring lug 3 allows it to be pivoted clear of the end face 35, towardsthe upper side 21 and the fixing tab 15, through the exertion of adeforming force.

The groove-like indentation 37 in the end face 35 forms a bead-likeprojection in the region between the indentation and the upper surface16 of the jamming cleat 9, and this projection constitutes a dead centrepoint when the ring lug 3 is pivoted. When the ring lug 3 with theshoelace 31 drawn through it is pivoted into a jamming position in whichthe ring lug 3 extends more or less parallel with the upper surface 16,this dead centre point has to be surmounted. Pivoting is effected by theexertion of an obliquely directed pull on the shoelace 31, with oneforce component resulting from the pull acting towards the contactsurface of the jamming cleat 9. Jamming of the shoelace 31 can thereforebe performed as a follow-on to the lacing operation by an appropriateangle of pull, and therefore does not require the help of the user'sother hand. Moreover, the dead centre point formed by the bead-likeprotuberance acts as a reliable lock counteracting accidental andunintentional release of the jamming action of the device.

A further embodiment of the jamming device 1 with a rivet strap 2 and aring lug 3 is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 (which will be described together).Here the rivet strap is formed so that the upper surface 16 extendsparallel with the contact surface 11 at a distance 19 therefrom which issmaller than the thickness 17 of the hinge bearing 14 bounded by thecontact surface 11 and the upper side 21. The fixing tab 15 also has thehole 8 to accommodate the fixing element.

A rivet is not the only possible fixing element: it is also possible tojoin the fixing tab 15 to the article of clothing by stitching forexample. On the one hand, this eliminates the hole 8; on the other hand,the fixing tab 15 must be made as thin as possible so that the distance19 in particular is kept as small as possible.

The hinge bearing 14 is designed with each of the bearing holes 22extending concentrically about the pivot axis 26 of the hinge arms 25 inthe end regions 27 of the ring lug 3, in a rib 40 extending parallelwith the longitudinal centre line 4. The ribs 40 are for examplearranged symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal centre line 4 ata distance 41 from one another and slope up from the upper surface 16towards the upper side 21 at an angle 42. The ribs 40 are formed on ajamming cleat 43 which is joined as one piece to the fixing tab 15, andis at least partially surrounded by the inner surface 34 of the ring lug3. The jamming cleat 43 has a groove-like indentation 37 forming thejamming zone 29 and indenting the end face 35 of the jamming cleat 43concavely towards the pivot axis 26. The gap 38 thereby formed betweenthe inner surface 34 of the ring lug 3 and the most recessed point(towards the pivot axis 26) of the groove-like indentation 37 is notgreater than the thickness 39 of the fastening means 30, for example theshoelace 31, in the undeformed condition. Viewed in plan, the fixing tab15 has for example a curved contour 44 which extends symmetrically aboutthe longitudinal centre line 4 and which in the region around the hole 8may extend in a circular arc with a radius 45 about an axis of symmetry46 of the hole 8. The points on the contour 44 furthest from thelongitudinal centre line 4 are bounded by the width 6.

The ring lug 3, or hoop 28 linking the two hinge arms 25 to each other,is formed from two legs 47 which converge with each other symmetricallyabout the longitudinal centre line 4 at an angle 48. Since the innersurface 34 of the ring lug 3, or of the legs 47, extends around the endface 35 with a more or less constant clearance 38, the end face 35 hasan angle of convergence 49 matching the leg angle 48. The inner surface34 and the end face 35 (or the surface of the groove-like indentation37) form the jamming surfaces 36, as already described.

Another embodiment of the jamming device 1 is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6(described together). In this embodiment the rivet strap 2 is designedas an independent part, separate from the jamming cleat 43 and from thefixing tab 15 formed on the latter, and is arranged on the upper surface16 of the fixing tab 15. This rivet strap 2 is a two-ply component madeby bending sheet metal and has a bend zone 50 which is adjacent to thejamming cleat 43, which is made in one piece with the fixing tab 15, forexample from plastic material. The bend zone 50 has an inner bend radius51 which is approximately equal to half the diameter 52 of the hingearms 25 and is measured from the pivot axis 26 extending through thecentre of the hinge arm 25.

The bend zone 50 clasps the hinge arms 25 with an angle of contact whichis for example smaller than 360° so that a sloping region 53 is formed,sloping upwards (i.e. in the direction away from the upper surface 16)from a point of contact 54 which lies between the hinge arms 25 and thehole 8 and at which two legs 55 and 56 of the rivet strap 2 adjoin eachother, towards a tangent point 57 located on the circumference of thehinge arms 25 or on! the inner circumference, bounded by the inner bendradius, of the bend zone 50. The bearing hole 22 in which the hinge arms25 are mounted is formed by the bend zone 50 and the sloping region 53.The two legs 55 and 56 of the rivet strap 2 have through holes 58 and 59formed concentrically with one another and with the axis of symmetry 46of the hole 8, and are thus in register with the hole 8.

On the side facing the bend zone 50 and facing away from the jammingzone 29, the jamming cleat 43 has a latching projection 60 located someway above the upper surface 16 and projecting towards the hole 8. Thiscreates an indentation 61 which concavely extends in the oppositedirection to the said hole 8 and in which the bend zone 50 of the rivetstrap 2 is bedded. This prevents the rivet strap 2, and in particularthe bend zone 50, from lifting off the upper surface 16 when force isapplied in the opposite direction to the surface 16. The jamming cleat43 also has the indentation 37 already described. The hoop 28 in thisvariant again has a circular arc profile, and the jamming cleat 43 alsohas a circular arc profile, formed by the end face 35. As a result, therivet strap 2 is positioned with respect to the jamming cleat 43 uponautomated assembly.

The inner surface 34 of the ring lug 3 is separated from the pivot axis26 of the hinge arms 25 by a pivot radius 62. In the undeformedcondition of the ring lug 3 and of the hoop 28, this radius is smallerthan a span 63 between the pivot axis 26 and an upper rim 64. Thisrepresents the line of contact of the end face 35 with the upper side 21or contact surface 11.

The result is that the undeformed ring lug 3 cannot be accidentallyswung over the jamming zone 29, or past the contact surface 11 or upperside 21. However, when the fastening means 30 is to be inserted into thejamming zone 29, the inherent elasticity of the ring lug 3 allows thepivot radius 62 to be lengthened so that it at least assumes thedimension of the span 63, thus allowing the ring lug 3 to be pivotedpast the bearing surface 11 or upper side 21.

Another embodiment of the jamming device 1 is shown in FIG. 7. Thisconsists of the rivet strap 2 and the jamming cleat 43, which is joinedas one piece to the fixing tab 15 and is formed as an injection or pressmoulded or cast part of metal and/or plastic material. On the sidefacing away from the rivet strap 2, the jamming cleat 43 has the jammingzone 29 for the fastening means 30. Again, the jamming effect isobtained as a result of the fact that the gap 38 is smaller than thethickness 39 of the fastening means 30 in the undeformed condition.Unlike the jamming cleat of the previous variants, the jamming cleat 43is not a solid body, but has for example a cavity 65 whose depth 66measured at right angles to the contact surface 11 is smaller, by anamount equal to the wall thickness 67 of the fixing tab 15 or of thejamming cleat 43, than the thickness 17 bounded by the contact surface11 and the opposing upper side 21. The jamming cleat 43 also has, on theside facing the rivet strap 2, the latching projection 60 which preventsrelative movement of the rivet strap 2 in the opposite direction to thecontact surface 11, or towards the jamming zone 29. The rivet strap 2 isformed as a plastic part, with a reinforcement region 68 in which thebearing hole 22 for the hinge arms 25 is arranged. From thereinforcement region 68 a sloping surface 69 slopes down with respect tothe upper surface 16, towards the hole 8 and the through hole 58corresponding with the latter.

FIG. 8 shows an alternative embodiment in which the rivet strap 2 isformed in one piece as a two-ply bent component. The jamming cleat 43 isconnected to the fixing tab 15 and rivet strap 2 in one piece, and hasthe latch projection 60, jamming zone 29 and cavity 65. The rivet strap2, which has the bend zone 50 forming the hinge bearing 14 or bearinghole 22, and the sloping region 53, is joined, in an end region 70opposite the jamming-zone 29, to the fixing tab 15, in one piece, at abend 71. This is formed so that the through hole 58 is in concentricregister with the hole 8.

Finally, a development of the jamming device 1 is illustrated in FIG. 9.This consists of the jamming cleat 43 and the fixing tab 15 formedthereon. As in the embodiments previously described, the jamming cleat43 is surrounded by the ring lug 3, and the opposing jamming faces 36form the jamming zone 29. However, the end face 35 is flat (without thegroove-like indentation 37), providing a jamming face 36 which is alsoflat. Embedded in the fixing tab 15 is the rivet strap 2, which isformed as a bent component with the bend zone 50 adjacent to the jammingcleat 43. Alternatively, the rivet strap 2 may be formed for examplefrom ceramics or from latticed or woven plastic fibres reinforced withfibres, particularly glass, carbon or aramide fibres. In this way areinforcing part 72 is obtained, to accommodate in particular the hingebearing 14 or its bearing holes 22.

It is of course possible to combine the various details of embodimentswhich may constitute separate inventions. For a clearer disclosure ofthe details according to the invention, the illustrations of the jammingdevice in the individual figures are not drawn to scale.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

    ______________________________________                                        List of reference symbols                                                     ______________________________________                                        1      jamming device 41    distance                                          2      rivet strap    42    angle of slope                                    3      ring lug       43    jamming cleat                                     4      longitudinal centre                                                                          44    contour                                                  line           45    radius                                            5      length         46    axis of symmetry                                  6      width          47    leg                                               7      portion        48    leg angle                                                hole           49    angle of convergence                              9      jamming cleat  50    bend zone                                         10     region of reduced                                                                            51    bend radius                                              thickness      52    diameter                                          11     contact surface                                                                              53    sloping region                                    12     depth          54    point of contact                                  13     width          55    leg                                               14     hinge bearing  56    leg                                               15     fixing tab     57    tangent point                                     16     upper surface  58    through hole                                      17     thickness      59    through hole                                      18     connecting web 60    latch projection                                  19     distance       61    indentation                                       20     thickness      62    pivot radius                                      21     upper side     63    span                                              22     bearing hole   64    rim                                               23     lateral surface                                                                              65    cavity                                            24     lateral surface                                                                              66    depth                                             25     hinge arm      67    wall thickness                                    26     pivot axis     68    reinforcement region                              27     end region     69    sloping surface                                   28     hoop           70    end region                                        29     jamming zone   71    bend                                              30     fastening means                                                                              72    reinforcing part                                  31     shoelace                                                               32     pivot angle                                                            33     inner width                                                            34     inner surface                                                          35     end face                                                               36     jamming surfaces                                                       37     indentation                                                            38     gap                                                                    39     thickness                                                              40     rib                                                                    ______________________________________                                    

We claim:
 1. A jamming device for securing a cord or tape fastener of anarticle of clothing, comprising:a ring lug for looping the tape fastenertherethrough; a rivet strap pivotally attached to the lug and adapted tobe joined to the article of clothing; and a jamming cleat joined to therivet strap and provided with an end face which is surrounded by thering lug when the ring lug is in a predetermined jamming position, theend face of the jamming cleat having a jamming surface which opposes andis spaced by a gap from an inner surface of the ring lug when the ringlug is in the predetermined jamming position, the jamming surface andthe inner surface defining a jamming zone for engaging the tape fastenertherebetween; and the jamming cleat being generally rigidly joined tothe rivet strap such that the jamming cleat is maintained generally in apredetermined fixed position with respect to the rivet strap so as topermit the ring lug to be moved into and out of the predeterminedjamming position by pulling on the tape fastener.
 2. The jamming deviceaccording to claim 1, characterized in that the gap between the end faceof the jamming cleat and the inner surface of the ring lug is smallerthan a thickness of the tape fastener in the undeformed condition. 3.The jamming device according to claim 1, characterized in that the gapis approximately constant over the extent of the end face of the jammingcleat, or over the extent of the inner surface of the ring lug.
 4. Thejamming device according to claim 1, characterized in that the jammingcleat is joined to the rivet strap as one piece.
 5. The jamming deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein the rivet strap comprises a fixing tab,and wherein the jamming cleat rises above an upper surface of the fixingtab by a height which is greater than a diameter of the ring lug.
 6. Thejamming device according to claim 5, characterized in that the end faceof the jamming cleat has a groove-like indentation extending generallyconcentrically with the end face.
 7. The jamming device according toclaim 6, wherein the fixing tab defines a hinge bearing for the ringlug, the hinge bearing having a bearing hole, and wherein a width of thejamming cleat is slightly smaller than an inner width of the ring lugmeasured parallel to the bearing hole of the hinge bearing.
 8. Thejamming device according to claim 7, characterized in that the region ofthe hinge bearing accommodating the bearing hole tapers towards theupper surface of the fixing tab.
 9. The jamming device according toclaim 8, characterized in that the gap extends parallel with the uppersurface of the fixing tab and is bounded by the inner surface of thering lug and a facing surface of the groove-like indentation and issmaller than a thickness of the tape fastener in the undeformedcondition.
 10. The jamming device according to claim 7, characterized inthat the region accommodating the bearing hole is formed by ribsextending symmetrically about and parallel with a longitudinal centerline of the rivet strap and rising above the upper surface of the fixingtab.
 11. The jamming device according to claim 7, characterized in thatthe ring lug is formed approximately in the shape of a C and includesopposite ends which form hinge arms which are oppositely directedtowards each other and project into the bearing hole.
 12. The jammingdevice according to claim 11, wherein the jamming cleat is formed from acomponent which is folded over upon itself such that one leg of thejamming cleat overlies another leg thereof, and wherein the legs havethrough holes for the fixing element in register with one another, withan end region of one leg forming a bearing hole for the hinge arms ofthe ring lug.
 13. The jamming device according to claim 12,characterized in that the jamming cleat comprises a latching projection,the latching projection rising above the upper surface of the rivetstrap.
 14. The jamming device according to claim 13, characterized inthat the one leg of the rivet strap includes a crimped region definingthe bearing hole (60) regions of the jamming cleat (9; 43), the uppersurface (16) and a crimped bearing on the rivet strap (2) clasping thehinge arms (25) between latching projection (60) and upper surface (16)in an approximately quadrantal, the crimped region being adjacent thelatching projection.
 15. The jamming device according to claim 14,characterized in that a pivot radius of the ring lug measured from apivot axis of the bearing hole to the inner surface of the ring lug issmaller than a span which is measured from the pivot axis to a rimformed the end face (35) and the contact surface (11) or the on thelatching projection adjacent the jamming zone, such that rim tends toprevent the ring lug from being moved out of the predetermined jammingposition.
 16. The jamming device according to claim 1, characterized inthat the ring lug pivots through an angle of less than 180° throughelastic deformation of the ring lug, from the predetermined jammingposition extending parallel with the upper surface in which the tapefastener is locked, to a position further away from the upper surface(16) in which the tape fastener is released.
 17. The jamming deviceaccording to claim 1, characterized in that the rivet strap is embeddedin the jamming cleat and is formed from sheet metal, ceramics or as alattice or web of plastic with fiber reinforcement.
 18. The jammingdevice according to claim 1, characterized in that the rivet strap isseparate from the jamming cleat and wherein the jamming cleat includesan integral fixing tab which is attached by a fixing element to therivet strap.
 19. The jamming device according to claim 18, characterizedin that the rivet strap has at least one through hole for the fixingelement, extending coaxially with a corresponding hole in the fixingtab.
 20. The jamming device according to claim 18, characterized in thatthe jamming cleat and the fixing tab are integrally formed as aone-piece member.